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Statistics show that the organisations that claim to encourage grassroots
sports are currently on the increase in the country. But though they are
private or in public hands, or the various sports federations, their target is
supposedly to recognise young talent at a very young age. Some are doing a good
job but so many others are not and are very exploitative of these young
talents.

Some months ago, Paul Hamilton, a former Nigerian international, who is also
the proprietor of the Weekend Soccer Academy in Lagos, expressed dismay at the
rate at which football academies are springing up around the country. The
former coach of the Super Falcons further went to say that if left unchecked,
the proliferation could lead to a decline in the value of the products produced
by academies. Though he was speaking specifically of football academies, his prediction
may also apply to other sports, which have academies and other grassroots
sports organisations.

Rationale for academies

A lot of the people who form academies do so for diverse reasons. For Iain
Nelson, who founded one of the most successful football academies in the
country, the Pepsi Football Academy, the motive was purely economical. “I am a
marketing man and I needed something to pull in the new generation away from
Coke to enjoy Pepsi. I found football a medium and that was what we used.” The
Jos version of that academy saw the emergence of Mikel Obi for the U-17 team of
2003.

Nelson however said the venture brought in added benefits, “With Pepsi
however, there is the additional opportunity to go on to win scholarships
abroad and play football while they study, something that may have never
happened if they were somewhere else. One thing about football academies
generally is that it is a place where talents are discovered.”

For a federation like the Nigerian Rugby Football Federation, the iTRY Rugby
Programme was established to help build a structure that would stand beyond the
now. As Akin Akintola, chief operating officer of the federation stated in an
interview conducted months ago, “For you to build a structure you have to lay a
foundation and that is what we are to doing. The iTRY cluster programme is an
outreach which seeks to basically encourage youngsters in schools to get
involved in the game.”

For Youth Sport Initiative (YSI), an organisation that aims to help raise
leaders through sports, “We are helping to fill a vacuum in the primary and
secondary schools where is seems that physical education is now becoming
extinct,” says Chinasa Ukandu, its president.

NSC’s criteria

These organisations have been able to meet the criteria of the National
Sport Council (NSC) for encouraging sports in the grassroots.

According to Peter Nelson, a spokesman for the NSC, person(s) with interest
in grassroots sports must be affiliated to a state sports council. “Also if
they are registered companies, the Corporate Affairs Commission must seek
clearance from us before they can be registered to do the work they do,” he
says.

This however is not the case with a lot of the groups organizing grassroots
based academies. For Samson Famose, proprietor of Akinola Football Academy, who
started his academy because of his love for children, he said he did not even
know there was a regulation like that. “Every time I see the boys loitering
around the area doing nothing, I use that to bring them together and I don’t
think of it as a big deal. I just try to help them avoid wasting their time
away.”

“We do not mind”

For Goddy Michael, an International Tennis Federation level 2 coach, his
work serves as an opportunity to pass on his skills to the next generation.
“After I got my certificate, I decided to use it by training some students.
Their principals did not ask me about my affiliation with a state sports
council, they just wanted to have evidence that I really knew what I claimed I
knew.” It seems this is the norm for most of the schools. One of the schools,
which YSI organizes physical education (PE) programmes for is Sanya Senior
Grammar School. Cecilia Okeowo speaks glowingly of the work they do.

“The YSI has been very consistent with what they do. They have worked with us
for the past three years and we are happy to always have them. They have been
helping us take care of our PE programme.” She however, said they had no cause
to ask them if they had a form of certification from the NSC.

“We just asked them of things like evidence that say they are really who
they say they are.”

For Eyitayo Rashid, a player with Mellidon Football Club, he does not know
if his club is recognized by the NSC. “We do not know that they are even doing
any type of registration but the club is trying for us and we appreciate the
work of our coaches and I think that is the most important thing.” On the other
hand, another player, Olumide Yakubu expects that since the NSC wants them to
be registered with it, NSC should make some form of provision for them. Yakubu
asked, “What is the essence of the registration, if the club cannot get
assistance from the commission?

“I don’t know if the club is registered with the NSC but those who are
registered what have they benefitted?”

Bringing the grassroots alive

Recently in a bid to revive sports in the grassroots, a committee led by
Segun Odegbami, was raised by the NSC, to see that competitions are encouraged
at the primary, secondary and tertiary levels. One of the basic duties of the
committee is also to evolve a structure and organisation for the continuity of
competitions at the grassroots.

For organisations that do not have certification from the NSC, they run the
risk of not getting any form of support from the NSC.

“Those programmes are also not recognized by us, thus, none of our
accredited referees and umpires would be involved in their events because we
believe they (organisations) are trying to cut corners for their selfish
gains.” Asked why such stringent measures are put in place to checkmate these organisations,
Peter Nelson explains:

“We put the structure in place to curb the excesses of people who parade
themselves as organisers of grassroots sports of programmes, so that they do
not exploit the general public.”

Ossy Nwokeabia, coordinator of Grassroots Soccer Developers Association of
Nigeria (GRASSADON), an organization that organises local tournaments says that
football academies are the bedrock of sports in the grassroots.

“Though I do not have a club personally, there is need for the NSC to give
room for these organisations to thrive. The grassroots is the first place where
the athlete would test his mettle. From there, they can further their career by
moving on to bigger and better clubs. Besides when scouts come looking for
young players, that is the first place they look to.” He went ahead to say that
the group wanted work hand-in-hand with the NSC, if given the chance.

“GRASSADON has written to the National Sports Commission intimating them on
the developmental plans of the body and since then nothing has come out of it.
We are the people on ground, which run grassroots football on a daily basis; we
know the problem associated with grassroots football development and it is our
belief that we can contribute our own meaningful quota to the development of
football at the grassroots.” He added that for sustainable development in
sports, there is the need to advance the course of the athlete at the
grassroots citing that the grassroots serves as the foundation for development.

Ukandu agrees with this assertion, “Though we are not an organisation that
actually develops athletes for professional sport, I can tell you that sport
helps the intellect, in that it sharpens your perception and thinking.” She
also suggests that the measures put up by the NSC should be softened a bit.

“Before we were able to register our company, it was a battle. I cannot say
I blame the NSC because one can’t be too careful but still it is too hard
because they look at one with suspicion. The important thing, however, should be;
are the people who are supposed to get the benefit really getting it?” Asked if
some of the children involved in grassroots initiatives are really enjoying
themselves. Precious Patrick, a student of Federal Science Technology College,
Yaba, one of the schools in the iTRY Rugby Programme, says, “I am really
enjoying learning to play a new sport and it is very encouraging because I used
to think rugby was a rough sport but now I know it is not so. Another
beneficiary is Chukwu Chukwuemeka:

“I have learnt that team work is what brings about success and I discovered
that I enjoy rugby.”